Sustainable - Practical - Affordable

The Best Natural Deodorants and How They Work

My switch to natural deodorant was born out of a desire to reduce our plastic waste, in fact we went entirely plastic free for a month and hope to continue those habits. It wasn’t until doing further research into my options that I found the potential benefits of going natural under my arms. The chemicals in many deodorants are not only bad for the environment but can also be potentially harmful to us. None of this is proven and I’m not one for banishing all non-natural products from my life but I figure if there is a natural option that is waste-free, practical and affordable then why not?!

It’s been almost a year since my search began and it has so far spanned three continents as well as every corner of the earth via the internet. The number of natural or ‘natural’ deodorant options available seem to multiply daily and it takes rigorous checks to find out what they contain, how they’re packaged, where they’re made and ultimately do they work!

For each of the options below there should be a similar product available near you. Since I am currently New Zealand based my recommendations are mostly NZ/Australian brands as I try to buy local. The main information is the ingredients, consistency and effectiveness which you can use to help inform your decision about choosing a natural deodorant.

Also bear in mind that everyone has different body chemistry going on. What works or doesn’t work for me might not necessarily be the same for you. You may need to try a couple of options before you figure out what works for you.

Cost is a huge factor for me. Although I would love to be completely ethical, local and sustainable in my purchases sometimes my budget simply doesn’t allow it. I’ve noticed the price of natural deodorants can be very high compared to a $2 roll-on from the supermarket. I’m ok with paying a bit more but to do this and then be smelly after a couple of hours is not ok with me! For each option I’ve calculated the rough cost per month as many last a lot longer than normal roll-ons.

Got questions or suggestions? Drop them in the comments below!

Pit Paste

Product: Real World Deodorant Butter

Cost: $24.50 NZD

Lasts: 4 months

Cost per month: $6 NZD

Application: Rub some onto your finger and then onto your armpit. You can also use a small spatula for application.

Solid Deodorant

Application: Simply take the solid block and wipe it over your armpits.

Pros

It’s made of all natural ingredients and comes in completely plastic-free packaging

Ethiques glow bar is baking soda-free for those of you (like me) who have an allergy or irritation caused by baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)

It’s compact and solid making it great for travel

Made locally

Cons

This made my armpits feel sticky and I got small bits of fluff from my clothing built up in my armpits

Ultimately, it didn’t work for me. I found the fresh smell only lasted a few minutes and I smelt of B.O after a couple of hours.

It’s expensive, compared to supermarket bought deodorants or even other natural options this is a pricey option

Crystal Rock Deodorant

The Best Natural Deodorants and How They Work

Product: Crystal Mineral Deodorant Stick

Cost: $9.50 NZD

Lasts: up to 12 months

Cost per month: 80c NZD

Application: Wet the top of the stone and apply to armpits vigorously.

Pros

It’s solid and compact which means it’s perfect for travel and carry-on luggage

It is completely natural and is essentially just a stone

Crystal rocks are unscented and leaves no marks or residue

It works for preventing B.O for a full day of moderate heat/activity

It lasts forever! Well, a year meaning it’s a simple and lasting purchase

It’s really affordable

It’s aluminium and baking soda free

Cons

It comes in a plastic container (recyclable) or on its own but in a plastic dish. Either way isn’t ideal but when you only need to purchase once a year and can recycle the plastic I think it’s still worth considering.

You need water to put it on which can make it difficult to use on the go.

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About This Site

We are a blog packed with tips, ideas, questions, answers, suggestions and help for everyday people who want to reduce their carbon footprint and live a simpler, healthier lifestyle. We judge our life choices and therefore our recommendations on three core values:

Is it sustainable?

Is it practical?

Is it affordable?

We live in the real world. We care deeply about our environment, human rights and animals but we also have jobs, dreams, budgets and time constraints. We’re realistic about what will work with our lifestyle and are constantly weighing up options in order to find the best sustainable, practical, affordable solution.

We’re plastic haters, book lovers, writers, travellers, teachers, money savers, DIYers, coffee lovers, cooks, hikers and dreamers. In a world that’s constantly looking for more, we’re searching for a life with less.

What are we not?

We’re not perfect. We don’t do absolutes. While we strive to be as sustainable, practical and affordable as possible, we sometimes do things that go against all of these, hey, we’re humans!

We aren’t vegetarians, vegans, zero-waste or minimalists but we try to reduce our consumption of meat, dairy, plastic and we own very little.

We’re not here to judge. Everyone’s circumstances are different and change comes in small steps so even reading this is one little step towards your life with less.